Make a small hole in the bottom of your jug with the pin about one inch back from the corner which is opposite the handle.

Fill your jug with water. Do not cover it. Use wire to hang the jug outside on an evening that you know the temperatures will drop low enough. The water will slowly drip and the freezing weather should create an icicle!

If your water is dripping too fast, you will need to make another one with a smaller hole. The water should barely drip out.

Involving children in the work of daily living is so very important but often not so very easy. Younger children love to imitate what the adults in their life are doing and so you will often see a toddler or preschool aged child pretending to iron, sweep or tuck "baby" in just like mom or dad does. But, as children mature, it can become more of a struggle to get their involvement in daily living tasks. Whenever possible, rather than using sticker charts and reward systems, it is important to try to get children to be a part of the daily work as a way of life and of daily living, not to just earn something. As adults in this age, we tend to do everything for our children while they are very capable of doing some of the work around the home.

Here is a helpful chart of age appropriate chores for children that you may find useful:

Are you a parent looking for some holistic after school activities for your children? Our Waldorf-Inspired January Afterschooling Program is just what you need to create a beautiful month together.

Week One, January
Sheep's Wool, Warmth (New Years)

~ Read Stories of Wool and Warmth~Bake a Twelfth Night Cake(for detailed ideas on celebrating Three Kings Daythis week see our Three Kings EBook)~Create Your Own Felt Out of Sweaters~Share Verses and Songs with the Children~Implement Some New Ways to Create Warmthin Your Home or School~Create a Winter Woolen Playscape for Your Children~Learn the Knit and Purl Songs on Your Pennywhistle or Fluteand Enjoy the MP3~Read About the Benefits of Saunas and PutTogether an After-Sauna Snack~Create a Felt Crayon Holder for Your Block Crayons~Meditate on Warmth and What it Means in Our Lives

Week Two, JanuaryAnimals in Winter, Deep Rest

~Read Stories of Animals and Hibernation~Share Songs and Poetry with Your Children~Track Wildlife Prints Outdoors~Draw Beautiful Animals with Your Beeswax Crayons~Learn the Pentatonic Song 'Deep Rest' on Your HomeInstrument and Enjoy the MP3 Version~Create and Drink Restful Herbal Tea~Make a 'Ta i Tre' Touch Wood with the Children~Meditate on What Deep Rest Means Can Do forYour Life this New Year

Week Three, JanuarySnowflakes, Tolerance

~Read Stories of Snowflakes and Peace~Share Verses and Song to Welcome the Snow~Study Snowflakes Up Close~Teach Children the Beauty of Diversity and Tolerance~Make Pancake Snowmen for Breakfast~Create Snow Lanterns Outdoors~Learn 'Little Flakes of Snow' on Your Pennywhistle orFlute and Enjoy the MP3~Create Beautiful Snowflake Fairies to HangOver Your Nature Space~Make a Batch of Winter Burritos to Warm Their Bellies~Create a Peace Pole for Your Home or School~Weave Diversity on a Handmade Cardboard Loom~Meditate on Tolerance and the Beauty of theDifference that have Blessed Your Life

Week Four, JanuaryIce, Forgiveness

~Read Stories of Ice and Forgiveness~Go Outside and Look for Icicles~Share Songs and Verses of Ice~Talk about Forgiveness with Your Children~Create a Beautiful Ice Medallion with Nature Items~Learn the 'Icy Icicles' Song on Your Home Instrumentand Enjoy the MP3~ Create Ice Blocks and Light Them Up!~ Make Ice Paintings with the Children~ Craft Ice 'Scrumbles' by Learning Freeform Crochet~Make Frozen Banana Treats~Meditate on Forgiving Yourself, Others andPast Experiences as You Begin a Fresh New Year

Wednesday, January 2, 2019

At the turning point of timeThe Spirit-light of the worldEntered the stream of earth existence.Darkness of nightHad ceased its reign;Day-radiant lightShone forth in human souls:LightThat gives warmthTo simple shepherds’ hearts;LightThat enlightensThe wise heads of kings.

~Rudolf Steiner

‘The Epiphany’ celebrated on January 6th also
goes by other names such as Three Kings’ Day, Twelfth Day, The Adoration of the
Magi and Dia de los Tres Reyes among others. In many cultures, Christmas or the
birth of Christ is actually celebrated on this day instead of December 25th.
January 6th brings the ends of the holy days and twelve days of the Christmas
season. It signifies the birth of the Light within us all and the resolution of
our waiting and anticipation of the coming of the Sun and/or Son in our lives
and in our world (Advent). It is a time of Truth, of Hope and of Finding the
Light and ‘Christ’ within all of us. Twelfth Night is a festival worth celebrating, as it signals
the end of the holiday season and can give us a last "hurrah" before
emerging out of the magic of the season into to everyday life. There are so many beautiful ways to celebrate this magical
time with your children. Today we are sharing a traditional recipe for Twelfth
Night Cake or King’s Cake which is often baked on Epiphany, the "twelfth
day of Christmas" (January 6th). Recipes for this famous cake abound,
ranging from the typical medieval vagueness (taek ye a measure of flour, and a
measure of almonds, mix them together with enough eggs, etc...) to the simple
French Galette Des Rois (Three Kings Cake) in which there is a dried bean
hidden in the almond paste filling that is simply sealed between two layers of
puff pastry.Traditionally the cake was
presented crowned with a gold paper cut-out crown and a dried bean or pea was
baked in the cake. Whoever was lucky enough to find the legume in his or her
piece would be crowned king or queen for the day.

For cream cheese icing: Mix one package of cream cheese with
1/2 stick butter, some honey and lemon juice.

Beat the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the cream
and beat, then add the natural flavorings. Lightly fold in the sifted flour.
Spoon the batter into the well-buttered tin. Make sure you add the bean. Bake
for 40-60 minutes (check often) at 350 degrees. Enjoy!

About Me

Little Acorn Learning offers monthly guides, festival e-books, menus and e-courses for parents and teachers interested in bringing a holistic approach to learning into their home or school. Visit the Little Acorn Learning website at www.littleacornlearning.com